Montemayor: Pick warms up at spring game

By Stephen Montemayor, Tyler Passmore

Tuesday, April 14, 2009

There was a moment during Saturday’s spring football game that won’t likely garner many YouTube hits, although it shared the message of an infamous sound bite.

In his best Allen Iverson impression, coach Mark Mangino relayed a conversation he had with a wired freshman quarterback Kale Pick early in the game: “I had to have a little talk with him to settle him down. I said, ‘It’s practice, it’s practice, it’s not a game it’s practice.’”

That exchange likely took place during the first three possessions by Pick’s White team. His first few series in front of a Memorial Stadium crowd consisted of two three-and-outs and an interception by junior safety Darrell Stuckey.

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Photo by Weston White

Kale Pick, freshman quarterback, tries to evade a tackle during the Jayhawks' spring game at Memorial Stadium Saturday. If Pick becomes the backup quarterback, Kerry Meier will relinquish his quarterback duties and play exclusively as wide receiver.

“I had to explain to him to do what the coaches tell you just like any other day at practice and carry out your assignments,” Mangino said. “And he settled down and he did some nice things.”

Pick — who is being considered to take over junior wide receiver Kerry Meier’s backup quarterback duties — shortly thereafter engineered an 11-play, 70-yard drive in the second quarter that culminated in the White team’s only touchdown, a 15-yard shot to junior receiver Raimond Pendleton.

“It was just a big scrimmage,” Pick said. “I definitely agree with Coach that it’s nothing more than what we do in practice, there’s just people watching.”

Pick completed just two passes in the first quarter, but any nerves soon appeared to fade away. From then on, Pick completed 14 of 20 passes for 154 yards and finished the game with the Blue offense of mostly first-team players.

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Violations put players' returns in question

Kansas will enter the summer with one of the nation’s top receivers coming off suspension while its third leading rusher from 2008 may not return to the team.

Sophomore wide receiver Dezmon Briscoe, who had 92 receptions for 1,407 yards and 15 touchdowns in 2008, did not appear at Saturday’s spring game and has been suspended all spring for a violation of team policy. Coach Mark Mangino expected to meet with Briscoe Monday, leaving his reinstatement before spring’s end pending established objectives.

“There are guidelines set up and some tasks that were asked of him to complete before I reinstate him,” Mangino said. “When he has those tasks completed — when he meets all the guidelines I set for him — I’ll reinstate him but not until then.”

On Saturday, Mangino also announced the suspension of junior running back Jocques Crawford for a violation of team rules. Mangino said that Crawford’s suspension involved a second team policy violation in a relatively short period of time and is questionable about his return to Kansas.

“I am taking a look at his situation and he will not participate the rest of the spring,” Mangino said. “I’ll be honest with you, I don’t know his status, whether he’ll be back or not.”

Mangino was asked if the suspension had any relation to a previous incident in which sophomore offensive lineman Ben Lueken was struck by a vehicle and briefly hospitalized. Mangino told reporters that he could not comment on the matter, citing an ongoing investigation into the altercation that occurred April 5 at Jayhawker Towers.

Crawford finished 2008 with 62 carries for 232 yards and four touchdowns. He was expected to figure largely into the team’s backfield plans this season.

“Once he got into a rhythm he completed a high percentage and made some big plays,” junior quarterback Todd Reesing said. “He had a beautiful touchdown pass and some nice long runs. I think with what he was given today he did a great job managing the offense in his first time with full action.”

Reesing said that Pick, who stands about three inches taller than the two-year starter, probably runs the ball a lot better than he does. Supplementing the rhythm Pick established through the air Saturday were two third-down runs of 17 and 13 yards in the first half to keep his offense on the field.

“I’ve been scrambling since I’ve been in pee wee football so I’m used to scrambling,” Pick said. “I’m pretty comfortable with it.”

Prior to spring practices, Mangino announced plans to ease Meier out of the No. 2 quarterback position and fill the spot with Pick when ready. Meier set a Kansas record with 97 receptions last year while splitting time practicing at both positions.

“There’s no easy way to deal with it but I think it’s a call that I need to make and if Kale’s ready we’ll keep Kerry at receiver.” Mangino said. “If he’s not, he’ll continue to do both. But I’m very encouraged by what I saw with Kale.”

Meier finished Saturday with five receptions for 77 yards and played quarterback in the third quarter. Partly why Mangino said he’d like to see Meier practice exclusively at receiver is to keep him healthier than last season.

“If you watch a lot of his plays, he stays focused on the ball when he knows he’s going to get smacked,” Mangino said. “Some receivers don’t do that, so we don’t want to use him as a backup quarterback in a game and get hit there and also get hit at receiver.”

As Pick progresses, he’ll have no shortage of counsel from two well-traveled teammates. But as current backup quarterback has suggested, there is much education to be had from days like Saturday.

“When I first got here the biggest thing was game experience and I didn’t realize college football until I stepped on the field and took my first snap,” Meier said earlier this spring. “Right now going through spring ball and sitting with him in the film room Kale knows what he’s doing but that game experience is irreplaceable.”

— — Edited by Casey Miles

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